The present invention generally relates to firearms, and more particularly to a folding buttstock mechanism for a firearm that provides a means of securing the stock in the folded position using the same components that secure the stock in the straight inline position.
Folding stocks on rifles, particularly rifles with longer barrels, allow the user to transport or store the firearm more conveniently and in a smaller container. In addition, on some rifles with the buttstock mounted directly behind the receiver, the folding motion is necessary to allow removal of the bolt or other internal components and to allow the firearm to be cleaned from the breech end. Folding stock mechanisms are generally designed to lock in a position in-line with the barrel and action for conventional shoulder mounted operation. Some folding mechanisms also provide a means of locking the buttstock in the folded position to prevent accidental or unwanted movement which might cause inconvenience, noise or possible injury if pinched. Some provide a solid mechanical lock while others a resistive/detent type retention that is overcome by force. Many of these locks or restraints consists of features on the side of the butt stock and the side of the firearm receiver, forward stock, or chassis sidewalls. Some bolt action rifles use the bolt knob to provide the detent surface.
There are several problems with the designs described above. Because most locking/retention features are located on the butt stock and center portion of the rifle, the butt stock cannot be changed without eliminating this feature, or very few compatible stocks are available. In the case of the bolt knob detent design, the bolt knob and the butt stock cannot be changed because they must fit closely together to provide full folding motion and retention. On rifles with many available butt stock options, like AR-15's, it is not practical to have a locking feature on the butt stock.
Other locking configurations automatically lock when folded. In some instances this is desirable; in other cases the release mechanism is not intuitive or causes inconvenience when the operator did not intend to lock the butt stock. A separate locking mechanism for the folded position also adds addition components and cost to the assembly. Yet other designs have no locking capability at all, and while some of these have intentionally dampened rotation, they are still prone to swinging back and forth and relocking when undesired.
Accordingly, an improved folding buttstock design is desired which can conveniently be secured in both the inline unfolded and folded positions.